Add CrimeStoppers to the List Robbed by Rothstein

Miami tipsters says CrimeStoppers is not living up to its end of the bargain

By TODD WRIGHT

Updated 5:23 PM EDT, Wed, Nov 4, 2009

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Agents found most of the money inside this duffle bag.

This is an example of what happens when CrimeStoppers partners with a criminal.

A Miami man has filed a lawsuit against the tipster hotline claiming the group owes him $250,000 for information he gave that led to the arrest of a murder suspect. That reward was really put up by Scott Rothstein's Fort Lauderdale law firm, who at the time was still the owner of the firm and boss of the victim in the 2008 case.

Neither CrimeStoppers or Rothstein has paid up and now the once anonymous tipster, Wilset Pascal, is feeling like he is being stiffed. Get in line, Pascal.

"As soon as he realized he had information, he went directly to the police," said Pascal's attorney. "He took physical evidence with him because he wanted to do the right thing."

That good deed hasn't netted Pascal one red cent.

Rothstein just recently returned from an excursion in Morocco and is currently occupied helping the feds understand the players in a Ponzi scheme that may have netted $500 million. That's probably why Pascal hasn't had any of his messages returned.

Pascal claims he gave Plantation police critical information in the murder of Melissa Britt Lewis, who was killed in her driveway in 2008. Lewis was a partner at the law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler and news of her murder inspired the law firm to take action.

Rothstein offered to pay $250,000 for any information leading to an arrest, while CrimeStoppers offered the standard $1,000 reward.

Plantation police eventually arrested Lewis' best friend's husband, Tony Villegas, and they appear to agree that Pascal's information helped lead to the arrest.

"We did get a tip from Mr. Pascal and that tip was extremely helpful in making the arrest," Plantation police Det. Robert Rettig said. "We feel he should get all ot a portion of the reward money."

Well, Rothstein is kind of tied up in a huge scheme that bilked hundreds of millions from clients and friends so getting $250,000 at this point might not be in the cards for Pascal.

CrimeStoppers said they are investigating to see to what extent the tip helped lead to an arrest.